Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1887-09-09
"Now inst think OF IL ! not one of us !


from hour to hour. for we had tele-
graphed both ways. and the snow had
stopped by that time, and none of us
had any notion it was going to be the
job il was to dig us out. Only the
young lady had the sense to remember
that it might take longer than we was
calculated on.
"Says l, If we were kept here
left for any of the fires let alone the
engine.
"'Then don't you think says she,
in her soft voice, that it would be
wise plan TO get all the passengers to-
gether in one car, and keep good fire
up there, and let the other stoves go
outP It's no matter il we are a little
crowded, says she.
"Well, of course it was the only
thing to do. as we see at once when 1t
was put into our heads. We took the
car the sick lady was in. SOS she'd not
have TO be disturbed, and we made up
beds for the children. and somehow all
the passengers managed to pack in,
train hands and all. 1t was tight
squeeze, but that didn't matter so much,
because the weather was so awfully
cold.
That was the way | come TO see SO
much of the young lady. hadn't any
thing to keep me about the engine, so
kind of detailed myself off to wait on
her. She was busy all day long doing
things for the rest It's queer how
peoples characters come out at such
times. We got to know all about each
other. People stopped string and
ma aiming and being polite, and show
ed for just what they were worth. The
selfish ones, and the shrks, and the
towards, and the mean cusses who want
ed to blame some one for sending the
weather-there want no use for any
of them TO try to hide themselves any
more than it was for the other kind.
The women, as rule, bore it better
than the men. 1t comes natural, |
suppose, for woman to be kind of ST.
lent and pale and patient when she's
suffering. But the young lady wasn't
that sort either. She was as bright as
a button all along. You'd have sup
posed from her face that she was hav-
ing just the best kind of time
IL can see her now, standing before
the stove roasting jack-rabbits for the
others supper Some of the gentle
men had revolvers. and when the snow
got crusted over, SOS they could walk
on IT. they used to shoot 'em. And we
were glad enough of every one shot.
provisions were so scanty. The last
two days them rabbits and snow
water melted in a pail over the stove
was all we had to eat or drink"
Il suppose there was nothing for
you TO do but wait said Miss Vaughn.
"No ma am, there wasn't nothing at
all for me to do but help the young
lady now and then. She let me help
her more than the rest, used to think.
She'd come to me and say, Mr.. Scott,
this rabbit is for you and the conduct
or She never forgot any body
cept herself. Once she asked me TO
hold the sex little girl while she took
a sleep. 1t was mighty pretty always
10 see her with them children. They
never seemed to have enough of her.
All OF them wanted that she should put
them to bed, and sing 10 them. aud tell
them stories. Sometimes she'd have
all five swarming over her ut once.
used to watch them"
well, how did it end?" asked Ms,
Vaughn, as the engineers voice, VIII ch
had gradually grown lower and more
dreamy, came TO stop.
"Eh? What? OH" rouslng himself
1T ended when three locomotives and
a relief train Fl ON Cheyenne broke
through to us on the eighth morning
after we were blockaded. They brought
prov sions and coal. and we got Oh
first-rate after that Did the sick lady
de' No, maam She was living.
when last heard of her, down to San.
ia Barbara. Two years ago that
was"
"And what become of your young
lady?"
"She left at Sacramento. Her br 9TH
err or some one was down to mees her.
saw him moment He didn't look
like her.
And you never saw her again? You
never heard her nameP"
mo. ma am; never did"
The engineers voice sounded gruil
and husky as he said this. He SHOW
eled in coal with needless energy.
care YOU "A married man?' asked
Miss Vaughn. The quest on sounded
abrupt even to herself, but seemed re
levant to something in her mind.
NO"
John Scott looked her squarcly il